Discover DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru in Malaysia: An Honest Review

As part of a round-the-world award airline ticket, I returned to one of my favorite places on Earth, Singapore, for 7 days. On a whim, I decided to switch things up and cross the border into Johor Bahru, Malaysia, for a few nights.

I wanted something relaxing for my first night before exploring the new destination. I looked for one of the better hotels in the city and booked the DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru. To my surprise, it exceeded expectations.

Here’s an in-depth look at my July 2025 experience at the property and why you should consider staying there when traveling to Johor Bahru.

Booking DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru

After an incredible few days in Singapore, I visited Johor Bahru for a few days, as I had never been and had heard good things. Although I usually book my hotels at least a few days in advance, this was a unique situation as I made a last-minute decision to visit. I did not begin looking at hotels until after I arrived in Johor Bahru, just about 30 minutes before heading to whatever hotel I would book.

After narrowing down some choices, I opted for the DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru, as a standard room could be booked for as few as 443 Malaysian ringgit (around $105) before taxes and fees.

Paying Cash vs. Using Points

Despite the reasonable cash rates, I was curious how they compared to using Hilton Honors points. A standard room at the property could be booked for 30,000 points per night.

According to our valuations, Hilton Honors points are worth 0.5 cents per point, making 30,000 points worth $150. Since the cash price was significantly less than the value of the points, an award redemption would have been a poor use of Hilton Honors points. I decided it would be better to book these nights by paying cash.

I booked a King Guest Room, which was the cheapest room available. I hoped my Hilton Honors Diamond status would upgrade me to a nicer room.

The room for this 1-night stay was 485 Malaysian ringgit (around $115) with taxes and fees. I paid using my Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, my go-to card for all Hilton purchases as it earns 14x points on Hilton purchases. 

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Automatic Hilton Diamond status, an annual free night, and a travel and resort credit make this the perfect card for those who stay in Hilton hotels.

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Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Automatic Hilton Diamond status, an annual free night, and a travel and resort credit make this the perfect card for those who stay in Hilton hotels.

Welcome Offer

Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.

150,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $750

Annual Fee

$550

APR

19.99%-28.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

Paying hundreds of dollars for an annual fee on a co-branded hotel card might seem ridiculous, but you should know that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is much more than your run-of-the-mill hotel credit card.

The Hilton Aspire card is not only a phenomenal card for Hilton Honors loyalists, but even those who visit Hilton hotels just a few times a year can still get excellent value out of all the benefits that are packed into this card.

So let’s have a look at what makes the card so valuable to travelers.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 14x points per $1 on Hilton purchases
• 7x points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, car rentals booked directly with select car rental companies, and at U.S. restaurants
• 3x points per $1 on all other eligible purchases

Cons

• High annual fee of $550 (rates & fees)

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Card Highlights

• Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Card Members can earn 14X Points on purchases made directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
• Card Members can earn 7X Points on purchases of Flights booked directly with airlines or flights booked through American Express Travel, Car rentals purchased directly from select car rental companies, and purchases at U.S. Restaurants.
• Card Members can earn 3X Points on all other eligible purchases.
• Enhance your hotel stay with complimentary Hilton Honors™ Diamond Status and enjoy a world of hotel privileges and benefits. Get exclusive perks at any of Hilton's 24 hotel brands, like a 100% Bonus on Base Points earned on every stay, Premium Wi-Fi and space-available room upgrades at select properties, and more.
• Enjoy an Annual Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors in your first year of Card Membership and every year upon Card renewal.
• $400 Hilton Resort Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually for eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts on your Hilton Honors Aspire Card. That's up to $400 back annually.
• $200 Flight Credit: Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter, for a total of up to $200 back each year, on flight purchases made directly with an airline or through amextravel.com using your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
• Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you can earn an additional Free Night Reward from Hilton after you spend an additional $30,000 (for a total of $60,000) in purchases on your Card in the same calendar year.
• $209 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: You can receive up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you sign up and pay for a CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your eligible Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
• $100 Property Credit: How it Works: To receive up to $100 in credits for qualifying hotel charges, book a 2-night minimum stay at participating Waldorf Astoria^® Hotels & Resorts and Conrad^® Hotels & Resorts with your Card through hiltonhonorsaspirecard.com and select the Aspire Card Benefit rate option on the booking page or call Hilton Honors at (855) 292-5757 with the proper booking reference. See Terms & Conditions for further details.
• Hilton Honors Aspire Card Members can enjoy complimentary National Car Rental^® Emerald Club Executive^® status, including perks like Executive Area Access (for full-size reservations and above) in the USA and Canada. Card Members must enroll in the National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status through their American Express online account using their Card. Terms apply.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99%-28.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

For this stay, I earned 953 base points and an additional 953 points for being a Hilton Diamond member. Thanks to a targeted Hilton promotion, I earned another 2,000 points on top of my earnings for the stay, for a total of 3,906 Hilton Honors points (worth around $20).

DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru Location

To get from Singapore to Johor Bahru, you can drive, take a bus, or take a train. The distance between each vehicle border crossing checkpoint using the Johor Causeway is under 3 miles, but transit times can vary greatly based on traffic congestion. Learn more about the time expectations and costs for each option here.

The DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru is in the heart of the Ibrahim International Business District. The property is a 10-minute walk from the Johor Bahru City Square shopping mall and JB Sentral Station.

Nearby attractions include the Zaharah Botanic Gardens, the Johor Zoo, Masjid Habib Hassan al-Attas, and the Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple.

Checking In

After crossing the border into Malaysia using the KTM Shuttle Tebrau, I walked about 10 minutes from KL Sentral Station to the hotel, arriving slightly before 1 p.m. There was a slight incline to reach the lobby doors with a paved section to roll my bag up.

The lobby doors were further down the ramp between 2 pillars.

As I walked into the lobby, I immediately noticed a nice wedding decoration in the center of the room.

I headed straight to the check-in counters along the far right wall of the lobby.

The hotel had a separate priority check-in for Hilton Gold and Diamond members. Unfortunately, there was a bit of a queue.

After about 10 minutes of waiting, it was my turn. A warm and friendly front desk representative welcomed me to the hotel as I approached the check-in desk. She requested my passport to look up my reservation.

After a moment, she found my reservation and thanked me for my Hilton Honors loyalty. She then walked over to another check-in desk and returned with the signature warm cookies that the DoubleTree by Hilton brand is famously known for.

After returning, she confirmed my 1-night stay at the property and informed me that she had upgraded me to a King Executive Suite room.

I could have breakfast at the restaurant or the Hilton Executive Lounge, but the check-in agent suggested going to the restaurant because it had a wider food selection.

She then asked if I wanted a late checkout, to which I agreed. She said the latest she could offer was 3 p.m.

Lastly, she requested a credit card for incidental charges, and I handed her my Hilton Aspire card. After completing the check-in process, she directed me to the guest floor elevators.

Elite Benefits

I received several benefits as a Hilton Honors Diamond elite member, including:

• Space-available upgrades (subject to availability)
• Complimentary continental breakfast at the lounge or buffet at Makan Kitchen
• Complimentary lounge access
• Complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi
• 2 complimentary bottled waters per day
• Complimentary late checkout (based on availability)
• 100% bonus points on all base points earned

Lobby

Directly across the check-in desk and against a pillar was a beverage station serving apple lemonade.

To the right was a popcorn station for snacks.

Across from the popcorn machine was a massive display of Makan Kitchen, the property’s primary dining venue.

The main seating area in the lobby was set on an elevated platform directly across from the check-in desk. It consisted of several identical sections, each with sectional sofas and armchairs.

While plenty of seating was available, the space was often crowded and noisy since it was the only seating area in the lobby.

Lastly, the guest floor elevators were behind a wall to the left of the check-in desks.

King Executive Suite Room

After a few minutes in the lobby, I headed to my room on the 28th floor. After exiting the elevator, I turned the corner and walked to my room, the first room on the right side.

As I entered the room, I was greeted by a large and spacious foyer.

A rather large pantry was immediately to the right of the suite’s entrance. It featured a sink, fridge, and microwave. It also had a coffee machine, an electric kettle, and several complimentary water bottles.

A recessed storage area was directly across from the pantry, spacious enough to hold my bags. I loved how seamlessly it was built into the wall—you’d never notice it was there unless you were specifically looking for it.

I then walked into the suite’s main living area, which, on first glance, looked nicer than my living room in my apartment in Chicago. The living room featured a large 2-person sofa with armchairs on either side and a massive glass coffee table in the center. Across from the sofa was the room’s television, on top of a media storage unit. To the left was another small armchair.

Looking back towards the entrance to the suite, there was a small dining area with a round dining table and seating for 2 people. This was a nice touch, as there was nowhere else in the suite to sit and eat comfortably.

Walking back across the living room, I headed to the windows, which offered excellent views of nearby highways and some skyscrapers. I could also see several construction sites all around the property.

I then walked back towards the bedroom and bathroom, which were across the hall. The bedroom was to the left.

The king-size bed was placed against the right wall between identical bedside tables. Above the bed, an art piece added a bold pop of color to the space.

The bed featured was extremely comfortable, with several pillows and thick bedding.

The bedroom’s wall-mounted television was across from the bed. The workstation, which provided ample space, was to the right of the television. It featured an ergonomic office chair, making it easier to get some work done.

Lastly, a large closet with pocket doors led to the bathroom.

Bathroom

The bathroom could be accessed from the living room or the bedroom. It featured a massive vanity with a relatively deep sink and plenty of counter space. The hotel provided plenty of complimentary toiletries, including dental kits, a shower cap, a vanity kit, and a sanitary bag.

To the left of the vanity was the toilet, which was equipped with a bidet.

Directly across from the vanity was a combination washer/dryer, a surprisingly convenient feature. Since it was tucked behind the door, I completely missed it during my initial bathroom walkthrough.

While no detergent was initially provided, a quick call to the front desk took care of that. Housekeeping delivered some complimentary detergent within minutes.

The shower featured an overhead rainfall showerhead and a handheld shower wand.

The closet was spacious and divided into separate sections, which was a nice touch. There was ample room to hang clothes, which came in especially handy after using the washing machine.

In the far left section of the closet, there was a dresser with pull-out drawers for additional space. The room’s safe was also located here.

The closet also had an integrated luggage rack across from the safe.

Bottom Line:

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with the suite. I loved the warm wooden aesthetic and the excellent furniture choices, which provided a slight pop of color. The suite’s simple layout made it incredibly spacious, and its clean, minimalist feel made it both relaxing and visually appealing.

Amenities

The DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru offered several amenities for guests, including a rooftop pool, a fitness center, and a reflexology therapy center.

Outdoor Pool

The property featured a well-maintained rooftop swimming pool on the 13th floor. The outdoor pool was open daily between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. 

The pool area was spacious with many seating options, including numerous lounging chairs and other patio furniture. In all, there must have been seating for more than 50 people.

Fitness Center

The property also featured a spacious 24/7 fitness center near the pool area, equipped with various cardio and strength training machines.

Cardio options included ellipticals, treadmills, and stationary bikes.

An entire corner of the fitness center was dedicated to core training, with various equipment, including kettlebells and medicine balls.

There was also a total body strength training machine.

The machine had diagrams showing how to use it and which exercises would target which muscle groups. As someone unfamiliar with these types of machines, I always enjoy seeing these illustrations.

There was a bench and free weights as heavy as 20 kilograms (44 pounds).

Swan Reflexology Spa

The property also has a Swan Reflexology massage spa on the lobby level, near the guest floor elevators. It’s open daily between 11 a.m. and 1 a.m.

Guests staying at the property can receive a 10% discount on all spa services.

Wi-Fi

The hotel provided complimentary high-speed internet. Even with a VPN, I got respectable download speeds of nearly 23 Mbps and upload speeds of 28 Mbps.

Parking

The hotel had complimentary on-site self-parking. Valet parking was also available for 49 Malaysian ringgit (around $12). Parking is on levels 6 through 11.

Food and Beverages

The DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru featured several on-site food and beverage venues. Here’s a look at what you can expect.

Executive Lounge

As with many Hilton hotels, there was a Hilton Executive Lounge. The Executive Lounge is on the 29th floor and is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Hilton Diamond members and those booked in an Executive-level room get complimentary access to the lounge. Guests with access can have breakfast here daily between 6:30 and 10:30 a.m.

The lounge provides guests with all-day refreshments (including snacks and non-alcoholic beverages) from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. There was a decent selection of salty snacks and sweets.

The hotel also offers a pre-dinner drinks and cocktail event daily between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., during which guests can enjoy hot foods and alcoholic drinks.

Hot food options for the cocktail event included char kway teow (Malaysian stir-fried noodles), chicken berlado, Mongolian fish, mapo tofu, and braised vegetables.

The buffet had a great selection of cheeses and salads with different toppings and dressings.

Lastly, there was a neatly presented fruit station and an impressive selection of desserts, with options to satisfy almost any sweet tooth. The chocolate brownie cakes were my favorite item from the entire food selection.

Makan Kitchen

The hotel’s main on-site restaurant, Makan Kitchen, is accessible through the lobby. It is a massive buffet-style restaurant offering international cuisine.

Guests with Hilton Honors Gold or Diamond status and those who book rates with breakfast included can have a complimentary breakfast at Makan Kitchen daily between 6:30 and 10:30 a.m. Otherwise, the breakfast buffet costs 85 Malaysian ringgit ($20).

The restaurant is also open for lunch between 12 and 3 p.m. and for dinner between 6:30 and 10 p.m.

I arrived at breakfast shortly before 8:30 a.m. to an incredibly packed restaurant. Although I thought I had arrived early, at least 100 people were already in the breakfast area.

I walked around the massive buffet area to see what food was available. First, an entire section was dedicated to Indian food, including dal, curries, parathas, and vada.

Next was a hot food station, which included scrambled eggs, roasted beef, and chicken sausage. An identical station included baked beans, roasted potatoes, and sautéed mushrooms. There was also a dedicated healthy corner offering a variety of lighter and healthier options, including steamed fish, tofu, broccoli, carrots, and potatoes, as well as poached French beans and egg frittata.

Next, there was a selection of Malaysian and regional dishes and sauces, including fried chicken with masak merah (spicy tomato sauce), paru berlado (spicy lung), kuah kacang (peanut sauce), sayur lodeh (vegetable soup), and nasi impit (rice cake). A noodle bar offered different types of noodles, toppings, seasonings, and sauces.

Across from the noodle bar was a large bakery section with assorted danishes, doughnuts, croissants, egg tarts, muffins, and madeleines.

Next to the pastry section were some waffles, pancakes, and French toast. The waffles were delicious; they were not too crispy, just how I like them.

There was a full salad bar offering a variety of fresh salads, complete with all the toppings and dressings you could ask for. Alongside it was a well-stocked selection of cold cuts, including sliced chicken, sliced turkey, smoked tenggiri, and beef strips.

There was a full cereal station with various options, including Rice Krispies, cornflakes, and granola.

Another section had fresh fruit, including pineapple, cantaloupe, watermelon, apple, dragonfruit, and rambutan.

Lastly, there was a teh tarik station serving traditional Malaysian tea. The tea was delicious and, for me, the highlight of the entire breakfast experience.

Bottom Line:

The buffet breakfast offered an impressive selection, featuring various Chinese, Malay, and Indian cuisines. However, the sheer volume of options felt overwhelming — perhaps too much of a good thing.

The breakfast area was extremely crowded during my visit, with nearly every table occupied and well over a hundred people circulating around the buffet. Many kids roamed the buffet and seating area, and the chaotic atmosphere detracted from the overall experience.

Tosca Italian Trattoria

Tosca, which specializes in Italian food, is on the 13th floor, near the entrance to the pool area. It’s open daily between noon and midnight.

Tosca’s menu features a vast variety of Italian food, including the classics like pizza and pasta. There is also an extensive wine selection, with wines from around the world.

Axis Lounge

Axis Lounge is conveniently located in the hotel lobby and is open daily between noon and 6 p.m. Guests can order various teas and coffees at the lounge.

Food Store

The property also has a cafe, strangely named Food Store. It is located across the lobby from the hotel check-in desks and is open on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Food Store offers a variety of foods, including bakery items, sandwiches, wraps, salads, and rice bowls. It also has an excellent beverage selection, including coffee, tea, freshly squeezed juice, smoothies, shakes, and soft drinks.

Service

I found the service at the DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru to be excellent. The staff offered warm, genuine hospitality and were always ready to assist whenever needed. They clearly take pride in their work and truly enjoy what they do, delivering kind and thoughtful Malaysian hospitality.

The staff in the Executive Lounge was especially attentive, consistently checking in to ensure I had everything I needed throughout my stay.

Final Thoughts

The DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru is a fantastic property worth considering if traveling to the area. The hotel offers fantastic cash rates and incredible benefits, especially for those with Hilton Honors elite status.

Between the massive breakfast buffet and the Executive Lounge, the property offers a lot of value. I would stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru the next time I visit the city.